Apparatus for forming threads or filaments from aqueous dispersions of rubber or the like



Nov. 5, 1935. MURPHY 2,019,543

APPARATUS FOR FORMING THREADS OR FILAMENTS FROM AQUEOUS DISPERSIONS OFRUBBER OR THE LIKE Original Filed Feb. 17, 1953 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY$ ZbwmevA/e THUEMEPHH Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE APPARATUS FOR FORMING THREADS OR FILAMENTS FROM AQUEOUS DISPER-SIONS OF RUBBER OR THE LIKE Edward Arthur Murphy, Wylde Green,Birmingham, England, assignor to Dunlop Rubber Company Limited, London,England, a British company 4 Claims. (01. 18-8) This application is adivision of my co-pending application Serial No. 657,159, filed February17, 1933.

This invention is concerned with improved 5 means of preparing threadsor filaments from dispersions of substances in liquid media which tendto sediment or cream, such as those in which the dispersed materialshave different densities from that of the dispersion medium.

Dispersions of this kind tend to sediment or settle in an upward ordownward direction according to the differences in specific gravity ofthe continuous and dispersed phases.

The object of this invention is to reduce or entirely obviatediificulties due to upward or downward sedimentation of theconstituents.

In my present invention rubber articles, particularly threads andfilaments, are made by supplying suitable aqueous dispersions to avessel provided with orifices or jets and through which it passes intocontact with a setting, coagulating or solidifying liquid and insupplying the dispersion continuously into the vessel in such a way thata constant head of aqueous dispersion is maintained within the vesseland that circulation within the vessel is made continuous by supplyingthe dispersion thereto in excess of that passed through the orifice,removing in a continuous manner the excess of dispersion from the uppersurface of the vessel, and supplying additional dispersion required forfilling the vessel to the constant head, preferably at a levelsubstantially adjacent the base thereof.

In one embodiment of the invention the plane surface containing theorifices from which the threads are formed is partly immersed in thesolution which is used in the ensuing process, and above and below thevessel containing the plane surface in which the jet orifices aresituated are positioned two reservoirs, the upper one attached to thevessel by a suitable pipe and controlling means for regulating the fiowinto the threadforming vessel, and the lower reservoir being positionedto received the overflow therefrom.

The container or jet box for forming the threads or filaments of rubberfrom the aqueous dispersions of the kinds hereinafter specifiedcomprises or is in connection with an orifice the bore of whichpreferably does not exceed two millimetres in length, with an inner tubeof such a length as to reach preferably to substantially the base of thecontainer or jet box, and which can be connected with the supply ofaqueous dispersions aforesaid and with a drainage outlet,

preferably near the top.

The container or jet box is preferably inclined to the vertical andpreferably its rear face is provided with the draining orifice,preferably near the top, so that the cream which tends to settleupwards, or other matter such as sedi- 5 ment which has risen to thetop, may be continuously removed through the drainage orifice, which isalso used to maintain the latex at a constant level or head.

The dispersions comprise those consisting of 10 or containing rubber,gutta-percha, balata or similar resins occurring naturally orartificially obtained.

Such artificial aqueous dispersions may include those of coagulatedrubber, vulcanized rubber, l5 synthetic rubber, waste or reclaim. Ifdesired, any of the aforesaid "mentioned dispersions may be used aloneor in admixture with one another.

Any of the aforesaid dispersions may contain the usual known compoundingingredients and/or may be in concentrated form.

Concentrates such as are obtained in Patent No. 1,846,164, February 23,1932, to which may be added any one or more of the usual compoundingingredients may, also be used. 25

The invention may be used in conjunction with the process and apparatusclaimed in the specification of Patent No. 1,887,190 and with the deviceof co-pending application Serial No. 582,769, filed December 23, 1931,but is not limited thereto. 80

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and morereadily carried into effect, the same will now be described more fullyby way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrarmnaticdrawing of a part sectional side elevation of apparatus for carrying outthe invention.

The aqueous dispersion of rubber or the like material contained in areservoir I is made to enter continuously a container or thread formingvessel 4 through a connection pipe 2 and a controlling means 3 forregulating the fiow via an inner tube held in position by a rubberwasher l3 and a nut l4. Before entering the vessel 4 the aqueousdispersion is filtered by a fine muslin gauze 12 also held in positionby the rubber washer l3 and the nut Hi. The orifice or jets B of thecontainer 4 are immersed in a bath 5 containing the setting, coagulatingor solidifying 0 liquid. Some of the aqueous dispersions of rub-- ber orthe like material flows out through the orifice 6, the bore of whichpreferably does not exceed two millimetres in length, into the settling,coagulating or solidifying bath 5, when it im- 35 mediately rises as asolidified thread supported by the setting, coagulating or solidifyingliquid.

The inner tube 9 is preferably of such a length as to reach a level 9asubstantially adjacent the base of the container 4. In this way it ispossible to keep all the liquid within the container 4 incontinuousmotion.

Most of the liquid leaving 9arises within the vessel 4 to a constantheight! from where excess of dispersion is removed in a continuousmanner from the rear face of the container at- 8. Thus the aqueousdispersion of rubber or the like material is made to circulatecontinuously within the aforesaid vessel or container 4 maintaining aconstant head of the aqueous dispersion at l.

The excess of dispersion removed at 8 is conducted by a pipe H] to alower reservoir ll positioned to receive the overflow.

The plane surface in which the jet orifices E are situated is preferablyinclined to the vertical as shown.

What I claim is:--

1. A container or jet box for forming threads or filaments of rubberfrom aqueous dispersions provided with an orifice the bore of whichpreterably does not exceed two millimetres in length, a setting bathinto which said orifice opens, a supply tube of such a length as toreach preferably substantially the base of the container, the 5container or jet box having an overflow outlet above said orifice andmeans to convey overflow liquid from said outlet out of contact withsaid setting bath.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 wherein 10 the aforesaid overfloworifice is at the rear face of the container.

3. A container or jet box for forming threads or filaments of rubberfrom aqueous dispersions and having an orifice supplied from said box, a15 setting bath into which said orifice opens, a supply tube fordispersion extending downwardly within said box to a level below that ofsaid orifice, an overflow outlet above said orifice and means to conveyoverflow liquid from said outlet 2 out of contact with said settingbath.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said orifice delivers at an obliqueangle to the vertical.

EDWARD ARTHUR MURPHY.

